Thanksgiving, Awards, Elections and More from the 2012 DOWAMA Parish Life Conference

[1]The Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America held its 2012 Parish Life Conference from June 6-9 in Houston, Texas, courtesy of the generous hosting of St. Joseph Church. His Grace Bishop Basil offers the following letter of thanks. Information regarding the awards bestowed and elections held at the conference may be found below. Click here for a photo gallery from the 2012 conference.[2]

To the Christ-loving Clergy, Monastics and Laity of the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America:

I embrace and greet you with a holy kiss in the Name of the Lord Christ. Having just returned to the Chancery from our annual Diocesan Family Reunion – the 2012 DOWAMA Parish Life Conference – I convey blessings and most sincere thanks to Father Joseph & Khouriya Elizabeth Huneycutt, Father James & Khouriya Jennifer Early, Deacon Meletios and our PLC Chair Shamassy Kristi Marx, and all the faithful of St. Joseph Church in Houston, Texas for the warm welcome and gracious hospitality which they extended to the 600+ people who attended the Conference from throughout our Diocese. May God the All-holy Trinity richly reward them for all they have done to help build up the Body of Christ here in America’s Heartland. Many years!

[3]I also wish to express my most profound gratitude to our entire Diocesan Family for the very thoughtful remembrance at the Conference of the 20th anniversary of my consecration to the sacred episcopacy. I am exceedingly appreciative of the gift of the hand-painted icon of St. Johnthe Divine presented to me by DOWAMA’s Fellowship of St John the Divine as well as the very generous gifts offered to me by the St. Raphael Clergy Brotherhood and the parishes and missions of our Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America. St. Basil the Great once asked a group of ascetics, “If you live alone, whose feet will you wash?” I thank God that He has blessed me to live, not alone, but among you, my beloved fathers and brothers, sons and daughters, and I thank you for allowing me to “wash your feet” for the past two decades. May the Lord God remember you in His kingdom always!

Having reviewed and given thanks for the work accomplished, by God’s grace, in the Diocese during the year which is past, we now ask Our Saviour’s blessing as we embark upon a new year during which we will again labor for His glory in the upbuilding of His Body – the Holy Church – in our nation’s Heartland. Next June 5th-8th we shall again gather as a Diocesan Family to examine another harvest at our 2013 Parish Life Conference which will be hosted by Father Elias & Khouriya Jeanetta Issa and the faithful of St. Basil Church in Kansas City, Kansas. Maythe Lord of the Harvest be pleased when we once again gather to offer unto Him what is indeed His own of His own.

Thanking you once again and assuring you of my continued love and blessings, I remain

Your Father in Christ,

+Bishop Basil

Scholarships:

MANY YEARS to FATHER PETER SMITH of St. Sophia/Dripping Springs, TX who received the $2,000 "2012 Bill Cohlmia & Joan Cohlmia-Razook Memorial Scholarship" for the continuing education of DOWAMA Clergy, DANIEL MINKS of St. Mary/Wichita, KS who received the $2,000 "2012 Harry & Florence Kouri Scholarship" for a DOWAMA graduating high school senior, and to the four young people of our Diocese who received the DOWAMA Clergy Brotherhood's "2012 Youth Music Ministry Scholarships."

[4]Oratorical and Bible Bowl:

CONGRATULATIONS to JESSICA NEBRAT of St. George Cathedral/Wichita, KS the Judges' Choice in the Senior Oratorical Festival, ALEX WAKIM of St. George Cathedral/Wichita, KS the Judges' Choice in the Junior Oratorical Festival, the Teen Team from St. Elijah/Oklahoma City, OK which won the Bible Bowl, the SOYO of Ss. Constantine & Helen/Dallas, TX which was honored as "Most Improved Chapter," the SOYO of St Elijah/Oklahoma City, OK which was honored as "Most Active Chapter," and the SOYO of St. George Cathedral/Wichita, KS which was honored for "Best Scrapbook."

Elections:

Those elected during the 2012 DOWAMA Parish Life Conference in Houston, TX to positions of service to our Diocese for the coming year are:

FATHER GEORGE EBER of St Antony/Tulsa, OK - Proestos of the Council of Deans. FATHER JOHN BETHANCOURT of Holy Trinity/Santa Fe, NM - Grammateus of the Council of Deans. FATHER JUSTIN McFEETERS of Holy Ascension/Norman, OK; FATHER RICHARD PETRANEK of St Paul/Houston, TX; and FATHER JOHN SALEM of St Elijah/Oklahoma City, OK - Members-at-Large of the Council of Deans. FATHER MARK HAAS of St James Brother of the Lord/Fort Collins, CO - Secretary of the Clergy Brotherhood. [5]FATHER JOHN SALEM of St Elijah/Oklahoma City, OK - Treasurer of the Clergy Brotherhood. MR. BARRY BUSADA of St Nicholas/Shreveport, LA - Chair of the Order of St Ignatius of Antioch. MRS. JAMIE ISAAC of St George/El Paso, TX - Vice Chair of the Order of St Ignatius of Antioch.DR. NADA FARAH of St George/Houston, TX - President of the Fellowship of St John the Divine.MR. A.B. BAYOUTH of St Antony/Tulsa, OK - Vice President of the Fellowship of St John the Divine. MS. LISA SPIKER of St George/Houston, TX - Secretary of the Fellowship of St John the Divine. DR. KENT MURRAY of St George Cathedral/Wichita, KS - Treasurer of the Fellowship of St John the Divine. MRS. DEANA ENGEL-BOTTEI of St Thomas/Sioux City, IA - President of the Antiochian Women.MRS. SHERRIE MASSAD of St Elijah/Oklahoma City, OK - Vice President of the Antiochian Women. MS. JACLYN AL-HANNA of St George/El Paso, TX - Secretary of the Antiochian Women. MRS. JANE HARAKAL of St Peter/Fort Worth, TX - Treasurer of the Antiochian Women. MISS AMY WALLACE of St Elijah/Oklahoma City, OK - President of SOYO. MISS NORA HADDAD of St Elijah/Oklahoma City, OK - Vice President of SOYO.MR. PEYTON POWERS of Holy Ascension/Norman, OK - Secretary of SOYO. MISS HIBBAH KAILEH of Ss Constantine & Helen/Dallas, TX - Treasurer of SOYO.

ADVISORS to the Diocese of Wichita's four auxiliary organizations remain FATHER ANTHONY MILLER of St Peter/Fort Worth, TX for the Order of St Ignatius of Antioch; FATHER JEREMY DAVIS of St Elijah/Oklahoma City, OK for the Fellowship of St John the Divine; FATHER CHRISTOPHER MORRIS of St George/Kearney, NE for the Antiochian Women; and FATHER ANTONY BAHOU of Ss Constantine & Helen/Dallas, TX for SOYO.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW for our 2013 Parish Life Conference (www.PLCKC2013.com[6]) which will be hosted June 5th-8th by Fr. Elias and Kh. Jeanetta Issa and the congregation of St. Basil the Great in Kansas City, KS (www.stbasilkc.org[7])!